August, 1885.] ELLIOTT SOCIETY. 97 



between the Cooper and AsMey Elvers, I secured my first specimen, during a 

 heavy rain storm, on the 22d April, 1884. I was attracted to it by its pecuhar 

 song, which was loud, ringing and beautiful. It was also quite ventriloqual, 

 so much so, that I was fully a half hour before being able to locate the precise 

 direction from which the sound came. I thought the bird must have been 

 changing its location as it was singing apparently on the ground, then at some 

 distance off, and then again, on the tree tops. At last, when I caught sight of 

 it, it was sitting quietly on a low bush in the midst of a dense and swampy 

 growth. When killed it proved to be a male. The next specimen procured 

 was h} Mr. Brewster a few days after on James Island, His, which was a female, 

 was shot in a dry place, which may be accounted for by the bird having just 

 returned from its Winter journey and not having yet found its favorite haunt. 

 During the Spring and Summer of 1884, I secured over fifty specimens, inclu- 

 ding the young of the year, and this continued until the 25th September, when 

 it is probable that most of the birds had left for the Winter and only a few 

 stragglers remained. 



Swainson's Warbler, as a rule, inhabits the small patches of dense growth 

 which abound along the seaboard ot South Carolina. To penetrate these is 

 frequently difficult on account of the climbing vines and abundance of canes. 

 It is also sometimes dangerous, as the poisonous water moccasin has here his 

 favorite abode. I consider the bird by no means abundant, and its favorite 

 haunt makes it difficult to procure. I am unable to specify the exact bounds 

 of its Summer habitat, as I have only searched for it in the region where my 

 first specimen was killed. Mr. Brewster has written a long and accurate account 

 ot the bird in ''The Auk," Vol. II, No. 1. 



Having taken Swainson's Warbler in the numbers above stated during the 

 Summer of 1884, and having seen the young that were still unable to fly I felt 

 confident that it bred here, although during that' year I never succeeded in 

 finding its nest. As the bird is so strictly terrestrial in its habits the conclusion 

 might naturally be that its nest would be found on the ground. This, how- 

 ever, proves not to be so, and after diligent search I was so fortunate, on the 

 6th June last, as to find the first nest and eggs that were ever discovered. It 

 was attached to a cane which was one of many that were growing in a pond of 

 water. It was rudely made of dry leaves, principally of the Sweet Gum and 

 Cane, and was lined on the inside with the needles of the Short Leaved Pine 

 {Pinus mitis). I waited until I could kill the parent bird upon its nest, so as 

 to be certain of its identity, and found the nest to contain one young just 

 hatched, and two addled eggs. The color of the eggs is a dead white, without 

 markings, and they closely resemble the eggs of the Downy Woodpecker, but 

 have a bluish or greenish tinge which is only perceptible when held in a certain 

 light. This nest and eggs of Swainson's Warbler have been sent to Mr. Wm. 

 Brewster, who has described them in ■'■'Forest and Streaiit" of 9th July, 1885. 



VOL. IL 13 rublishedSept.,lSS6. 



